Navigating the World of Sunday School and Small Groups

As you teach, be flexible

Today’s blog post is an excerpt taken from a classic book on Christian education, Basics of Teaching for Christians. Author Robert Pazmino encourages those of us who teach to “go with the flow” of events that take place in our Bible study groups. We must recognize when God is allowing us to be interrupted for His purposes. Here is Robert Pazmino in his own words:

A key teaching ability is flexibility when conditions are less than ideal. Remember, the Holy Spirit may have plans other than those in a teacher’s lesson plan.While teaching in an inner city neighborhood, our class break was interrupted when a local merchant who had been shot in a robbery attempt at the corner store entered the building…The merchant’s life was saved. A number of students visited the merchant and his family while he was hospitalized…the second half of the class understandably departed from my lesson plan to include prayer for the merchant and discussion of how Christians responded to the realities of violence in an urban setting…I recommend that teachers be aware that, in God’s plan, curriculum may shift as a result of contextual factors beyond our human control. In this, we recognize our partnership with God. – p.44

As you teach, be sensitive and flexible to what God may want to do in the hearts and minds of your learners. Yes, you’ll have a teaching plan, but your goal is not necessarily to get through all your points! Stop and address questions and issues raised by the group members. Sometimes you’ll chase rabbits and find that you actually end up chasing God’s agenda for your group.

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